Japanese Tattoos Have Many Deep Traditional
Cultural Meanings

Tattooing has been popular in Japan for thousands of years. This art form has its stable role in Japanese culture
as a form of expression of multiple symbolisms. Samurai warriors are known to have had various tattoos to express courage, honor and
pride.

The traditional way of tattooing has several rules and designs. The rules are not exactly set, because every community has its own
customs. Most popular of these traditional designs are such mythical creatures as dragons or phoenixes, very common are also floral
motifs and leaves, fish – especially koi, Samurai tattoos or masks. These are often found combined into one design, for example,
flower tattoos that symbolize spring or summer warmth are often combined with the animals of spring or dragons. These designs
are often born out of smaller and simpler images. A single cherry blossom tattoo can be developed into a complicated motif that
can spread onto a whole arm or on the back.

Every tattoo has a specific meaning in Japan:

Cherry blossoms represent vitality – life. Sakrua, or blossoms of the cherry tree, are very beautiful and fragile, yet they bloom in very harsh
conditions. These flowers only last several days and this is very symbolic in Japanese culture. They believe that we should seize the day
and enjoy our life to the fullest. Being aware of the inevitable death should only make us enjoy life more.

Some Cherry Blossom Examples

Koi tattoos are symbolic of courage, perseverance and strength. These fish are believed to change into dragons
once they get across a difficult passage, the Dragons Gate, in their travel against the stream. Dragons are often combined with phoenixes
in order to represent the balance of powers in the universe or the Yin and Yang. Koi fish are mostly colorful and they have a special place
in the culture of Japan. Their inspiring struggle transforms into symbolism of luck, power, ambition and courage that is often also
displayed in temples.

Koi Tattoo Ideas

Many people associate Japan with the dragon design. Dragons have their stable place in Japanese culture and that
is also why there are so many meanings that this creature represents. For some it is courage, strength or powers even of the supernatural
kind, for others it is wisdom or freedom. This tattoo is very variable and can easily be fitted to anyone’s personality or preferences. The color
of the dragon also has a meaning and it can be quite specific so be careful when picking the final design.

Dragon Tattoo Ideas

Hannya masks originate from kabuki plays. These demonic masks first appeared in a famous Japanese
kabuki play that depicted a woman who was consumed with anger over her partner. The Japanese believe that this tattoo can bring
luck and ward of demonic powers.

Popularity of kanji tattoos has spread all around the world. The Japanese language is made up of three scripts and kanji are actually
Chinese characters that were introduced into the language in around 500 A.D. These ideograms (which means that each sign has
its own meaning) represent concepts like love, happiness, sadness, wealth, beauty or loyalty. Different kanji characters can be combined
to build up expressions and display more messages at once. The combinations are innumerable as there are several thousands of
these characters. Be careful when going for this design and find a tattoo artist that can understand the meanings and build up the
messages you desire properly.

Some Kanji Symbols

There are many different types and styles of Japanese tattoos all with some type of meaning
whether it is symbolic or based on historical lore and beliefs.